Design Patents and the Hague Agreement Option: Evaluating the Benefits and Risks of Filing an IDA

This CLE course will guide patent counsel on the application process under the Hague Agreement as well as the pros and cons of filing under the Agreement. The panel will discuss lessons learned from the first few years that U.S. applicants have had access to the Hague System. The panel will offer best practices for filing design patent applications.

Under the Hague Agreement, applicants may apply for design protection by filing a single, standardized International Design Application (IDA) in a single language. Applicants will see potential cost savings and will enjoy provisional rights in the U.S.

However, filing under the Hague Agreement is not without its challenges. For example, there is no universal drawing standard and countries have different requirements. Patent counsel must understand the IDA process and its benefits and risks to carefully evaluate and determine whether to file an IDA under the Hague Agreement or file direct national applications.

Listen as our authoritative panel of speakers from the USPTO, WIPO, and private practice discuss the pros and cons of filing under the Hague System and its impact on design patent filings globally.